The Price of Freedom
by Stephinator Lynn
Summary: Just another continuation of the book/movie.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I am obsessed with Carol! Cate and Rooney could not be more perfect in this movie. This story may have some jumbled parts from the book and the movie because I liked aspects of both of them a lot!

The Price of Love

Chapter 1

Therese had never seen a smile so pure on Carols face in the time that she had known her except for this moment right now. She was stupid to have said no to Carol earlier in the evening. Carol was finally ready to live her life as her true authentic self and Therese wanted to live it with her.

"Gentlemen, this is a dear friend of mine, Therese Belevet. I asked her to join us." Carol said, never taking her eyes off Therese.

The two men stood as Therese took a seat next to Carol. Therese had to catch her breath when Carol grabbed her hand under the table cloth and squeezed it gently. "Are you in the furniture business too?" One of the men asked her.

"Therese is an amazing up and coming photographer. She works for the Times." Carol said and to Therese is seemed as if Carol was showing her off; bragging. She liked it.

The group talked for another half hour before Carol suggested they call it a night. One of the men asked Therese if she wanted to share a cab with him downtown but she politely declined, saying that she was headed uptown to reunite with a friend. Carol had found her response rather amusing and she let out a throaty laugh.

When the two men had left Carol leaned in close. "Ready for our reunion my love?" She whispered.

"More than anything." Therese responded.

"Flung from space indeed." Carol mused to herself before gracefully raising her arm to hail a cab headed to Madison Avenue.

They didn't speak on the cab ride back to Carol's new apartment. Both were deep in thought the whole way there. Carol's hand however did find Therese's in the darkness of the backseat and they held hands all the way home.

When they got out of the cab Therese was taken aback by the stunning foyer of the Madison Avenue apartment, complete with a door man holding the door open for them. "I though you said you found yourself a modest apartment." Therese said.

Carol laughed and placed her arm around Therese's shoulder, "modest for me darling." She waved hello to the doorman and he winked back. "That's Dave, he's in a similar boat as us my dear." Therese nodded in understanding. A homosexual. Therese had never met a homosexual before she had come across Carol and Abby. "Unfortunately if he gets caught, he goes to jail, if we get caught, we go to a mental institution." Carol muttered, leading Therese into the elevator.

Once alone in the elevator Therese took it upon herself to wrap her arms around Carol, bringing her close. "Hopefully one day that will change." Therese said, giving Carol a quick kiss on the lips she had been missing for ages.

"I love you Therese."

"I love you too Carol."

The elevator dinged on the twenty-third floor and Carol took out her keys and opened the door. "It's not much, but it will do." She turned on a light and walked inside, slipping off her heels and placing her purse on a nearby table. "There are two bedrooms and an office. When I bought it I thought you could turn the office into a dark room for your photography or something."

Therese turned to her. She had been taking in the expanse of the apartment. Sure it wasn't the large mansion she had been to in the country but this apartment was three sizes larger than hers. "You thought of me when you bought this? But you couldn't have known-"

"I had hoped."

Therese kicked off her shows in a similar fashion as Carol, and placing her own purse next to hers. "Two bedrooms?" Therese asked with a smile.

"Just in case you needed your space." Carol said.

Therese, feeling bold, moved closer to Carol. "I don't want my space."

Carol smiled, "I'm glad."

"Take me to bed Carol."

Carol reached out her hand and grabbed Therese, "with pleasure my love." She answered, pulling her into the bedroom.

Their time together on the road had been slow, full of exploration and discovery. When Carol and Therese entered the bedroom, their desire for each other was too strong for them to go slow. There was no time for exploration as Therese turned Carol around, kissing her neck and beginning to undo the zipper of her dress. "I've missed you so much." Therese whispered in Carol's ear.

Carol threw her head back, "me too love." She moaned, turning, stepping out of her dress and beginning to undo the buttons on Therese's dress.

Once they were both naked, Carol placed her hands on Therese's slim waist, running her fingers up her ribcage. Before her hands could reach their destination, Therese grabbed her wrists. She kissed Carol on the lips, "I want tonight to be about you." Therese said with her newly found confidence. She pushed Carol backwards and together they tumbled onto the large king sized bed, a luxury compared to the twin bed they had shared their first night together in.

Therese kneeled next to Carol running her hands across her body, taking all of it in again. Carols eyes closed as Therese kneaded her breasts and then she gave out a sharp intake of breath as her lips lowered to the hardened peaks of her nipples. Carol went to wrap her arms around Therese but her hands were quickly pushed away and held above her head, "no touching." Therese teased.

"My my, you have changed. I'm loving this side of you."

That was all Therese needed to continue her memorization of Carol's body. She trailed her lips from her breasts further down, much like Carol had done during their first time together. It excited Therese how Carol arched her back when she slipped a finger inside Carol's wet core. "More?" She asked.

"God yes!" Was Carol's response and Therese began to pump two and then three fingers inside the blonde. Therese closed her eyes and listened to the sounds coming from Carol. She was doing this to her and it made her wish she hadn't told Carol not to touch her.

Therese watched as Carol reached her peak, calling out Therese's name. Once Carol got her breathing back under control she opened her eyes, "you're staring dear."

Therese crawled back up the bed, lying next to Carol and giving her a gentle kiss, "You were beautiful."

"Can I touch you now?"

"Now and forever."

END CHAPTER


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Are you watching me sleep?" Carol asked Therese through still closed eyes.

"How do you know I'm watching you?"

Carol opened her eyes and smiled, "See? You are watching me." She leaned over to give Therese a kiss. Carol looked at the clock on her nightstand, it was only six in the morning, "what are you doing up at this ungodly hour anyways?"

"Just thinking?"

"Oh?"

"You don't have any pictures on the wall."

"Maybe you can put some of your photographs on the wall?" Carol suggested, stretching marvellously and luxuriously.

"Did you really say I could turn the office into a dark room?" Therese asked, drawing lazy circles on Carols exposed bare back.

"Of course I did. What do I need it for?"

"Well now you could turn the extra bedroom into a room for Rindy."

"No." Carol stiffened at the mention of her daughter's name. "But we should turn it into a bedroom, in case people wonder where you sleep." Carol got out of bed and quickly put her robe on.

"Carol-"

Carol turned to face her, "Therese, I can't speak of Rindy right now. It just- it hurts too much," Therese nodded. "Okay. Let me make us some coffee and we can arrange your stuff being shipped here. Do you have work today?"

"I have to stop by for a bit, but not until this afternoon."

"Perfect. Plenty of time to stop by your place and grab you some things." Carol could sense the concern on Therese's face. She walked back over to Therese. "I'm so happy you're "here. You know that right? I'd marry you if I could."

"I know." Therese smiled. She did know. She knew how much Carol had given up, well, for her.

Carol kissed her forehead grabbed her a robe, throwing it over her head. "I'll make us some breakfast too."

Therese took her time putting on the silk robe and looking around the apartment a bit. There was already a bed in the second bedroom and there was absolutely nothing in the office. There wouldn't be a lot of stuff she would have to bring to Carol's except for clothes and some knick knacks she had acquired over the years.

"I didn't think you knew how to cook." Therese said, sitting on a bar stool in the kitchen.

"Ha ha, very funny. Harge wanted the maid, not me. Before I met him I cooked a lot. Missed it actually."

"Well I'm glad because I am a terrible cook." Therese admitted. "I hope you don't mind that I took a look around, this apartment is beautiful."

Carol turned away from the stove top giving Therese a cup of coffee, "My dear, of course I don't mind. This apartment is as much yours as it is mine."

Therese took a sip of the coffee and sighed, "I think that will take me some time to get used to. Especially when I didn't pay for anything."

"Love, I don't want you to feel like this place is less yours because you didn't pay for it. Plus, when you become a big shot photographer you can buy us a summer house upstate." Carol said, going back to the stove.

"Sounds like a deal." She said, drinking more of her coffee. "So, does Abby know about us?"

Carol sighed, knowing that the subject of Abby was bound to come up sooner or later. "Abby is and will always be one of my best friends Therese. She doesn't know that you said yes, or that you are here with me now, but she knows I was going to see you, and she knew what I was going to ask you. She'd be so happy for us. At least, she's one more person we can be ourselves around."

"Do you know a lot of people who would be okay with us? I mean, I don't even know what you would call us."

Carol laughed, placing the eggs and toast she had made onto plates for the both of them and motioned for Therese to sit at the table. "I guess people would call us gay, like two men who love each other. Or lesbians, which is what people are calling two women who love each other. And yes, I know a few people who would be okay with us, and those who are like us. Abby knows a lot of people." Carol put breakfast in front of Therese, "bon appetite!"

"Looks delicious. I guess I am a little naive when it comes to gay people." Therese took a bite of her eggs, "I mean, I don't think I could fall in love with just any woman."

Carol smiled, "I'm glad for that." They both laughed. "Of course I will introduce you to everyone I know. They are more knowledgeable than me. And Abby knows a lot. I should probably call her. She'll want to know what happened between us. Maybe I'll con her into to helping us move your stuff."

"Sure." Therese said. She still wasn't completely sure that Abby liked Carol as just a friend. They had quite the history with each other which Therese had to admit mad her a little bit jealous.

"Perfect, I'll call her after breakfast."

"It's delicious by the way."

"Thank you."

END CHAPTER


End file.
